Oleanolic acid derivative alleviates cardiac fibrosis through inhibiting PTP1B activity and regulating AMPK/TGF-β/Smads pathway.

Cardiac fibrosis (CF) in response to persistent exogenous stimuli or myocardial injury results in cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) can promote collagen deposition through regulating AMPK/TGF-β/Smads signaling pathway, and PTP1B knockout improves cardiac dysfunction against overload-induced heart failure. Oleanolic acid (OA) has been proven to be an inhibitor of PTP1B, and its anti-cardiac remodeling effects have been validated in different mouse models.

The PIWI-specific insertion module helps load longer piRNAs for translational activation essential for male fertility.

PIWI-clade proteins harness piRNAs of 24-33 nt in length. Of great puzzles are how PIWI-clade proteins incorporate piRNAs of different sizes and whether the size matters to PIWI/piRNA function. Here we report that a PIWI-Ins module unique in PIWI-clade proteins helps define the length of piRNAs.

Risk factors for poor outcome in posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The roles of clinical etiology and symptoms, imaging findings and biochemical parameters in predicting the prognosis of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) have not been well-characterized. We perform a meta-analysis of all published studies to assess the value of various risk factors in predicting the prognosis of PRES.

Methods: Searches of the PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases were performed to identify the eligible studies.

Modulation of Tim-3 Expression by Antigen-Dependent and -Independent Factors on T Cells from Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection.

T-cell immunoglobulin domain and mucin domain-containing molecule-3 (Tim-3) was up-regulated on viral specific T cells and contributed to T cells exhaustion during chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. However, modulation of Tim-3 expression was still not fully elucidated. To evaluate the potential viral and inflammatory factors involved in the inductor of Tim-3 expression on T cells, 76 patients with chronic HBV infection (including 40 chronic hepatitis B [CHB] and 36 asymptomatic HBV carriers [AsC]) and 40 of normal controls (NCs) were enrolled in this study.

Epidemiological studies of esophageal cancer in the era of genome-wide association studies.

Esophageal cancer (EC) caused about 395000 deaths in 2010. China has the most cases of EC and EC is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in China. Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is the predominant histologic type (90%-95%), while the incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) remains extremely low in China.

Estrogen and its receptor enhance mechanobiological effects in compressed bone mesenchymal stem cells.

Mechanical stimulation and estrogen have been proven to be two important factors in promoting mesenchymal stem cell activity, which is closely associated with bone formation, mass maintenance and remodeling. However, the superposition effects of mechanical stimulation and estrogen on stem cells remain unknown. It is also unclear if the estrogen receptor (ER) plays only a key role in estrogen signaling or if it is also involved in the mechanotransduction of stem cells.

Effects of intestinal intervention on bacterial translocation in a rat model of acute liver failure in vivo.

Background/aims: The study aimed to confirm bacterial translocation (BT) in rats with acute liver failure (ALF), to explore the correlation between the concentration of lipopolysaccharides and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) expression, and further, to evaluate the curative effects of lactulose and montmorillonite (smecta) in this setting.

Methods: D-Galactosamine was injected into the abdominal cavity of rats to induce ALF. Escherichia coli JM109 labeled with enhanced green fluorescent protein was administered to track BT.

[The mechanism of HBV infection of human trophoblast cell].

Objective: To observe the changes of human trophoblast cells after infected with hepatitis B virus.

Methods: HBV positive serum was used to infect human trophoblast cells in vitro. HBsAg in cell culture medium were detected by ELISA method and HBV DNA in cell culture medium and cells were detected by PCR method.

[Hepatitis B immunoglobulins blocking hepatitis B virus infection of trophoblast cell culture in vitro].

Objective: To determine the role of hepatitis B Immunoglobulins (HBIG) in blocking hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection of trophoblast cell culture in vitro.

Methods: Trophoblast cells were placed in the six-well cluster dishes and incubated with 10% fetal calf serum/Dubecco's modified Eagle's Medium (10% FCS DMEM) at 37 degrees C with 5% CO2 in air. At 24 h after plating cells were subjected to experiment.

[In vitro infection of human hepatoma (Hep G2) cell line by hepatitis B virus positive serum].

Objective: To establish a culture system of HBV positive serum infected Hep G2 cells in vitro.

Methods: Hep G2 cells were seeded into six-well cluster dishes, at 1 x 10(-6) cells per well and incubated with 3 ml 10% fetal calf serum/ Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (10% FCS/DMEM) at 37 degrees in 5% CO2 air. At 24 h after plating, infection group Hep G2 cells were cultured with 0.

[Meta-analysis on the relationship between tobacco smoking, alcohol drinking and p53 alteration in cases with esophageal carcinoma].

Objective: To investigate the relationship between tobacco smoking, drinking and p53 alteration in esophageal carcinoma.

Methods: Literature on the relationship between p53 alteration in esophageal carcinoma and tobacco smoking, drinking through Meta-analysis were reviewed.

Results: In 14 selected papers related to tobacco smoking, pooled odds ratio (OR) of tobacco smoking with P53 overexpression and p53 alteration were 1.

Genetic susceptibility and environmental factors of esophageal cancer in Xi'an.

Aim: To analyse the role of genetic susceptibility and environmental factors in the process of esophageal cancer (EC) formation in Xi'an, China.

Methods: A hospital based case-control study, combined with molecular epidemiological method, was carried out. A total of 127 EC cases and 101 controls were interviewed with questionnaires containing demographic items, habit of tobacco smoking, alcohol drinking, and family history of EC.

Relationship of tobacco smoking CYP1A1 GSTM1 gene polymorphism and esophageal cancer in Xi'an.

Aim: To analyze the association of tobacco smoking polymorphism of CYP1A1 (7th exon) and GSTM1 genotype and esophageal cancer(EC) in Xi'an.

Methods: A hospital based case-control study, with molecular epidemiological method, was carried out. Polymorphism of CYP1A1 and GSTM1 of samples from 127 EC cases and 101 controls were detected by PCR method.